Just a Heart Beat
by xbattlegroundx
Summary: What happens the last heart beat is gone...? OCx2, OCxcharacters, character death, OOC.


**Prologue **

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

"Please?" The energetic youth bounced around her friend, her light green eyes twinkling. Her companion shook her head, feeling slightly frustrated with her.

"No."

Kayla glared at her friend as she cart wheeled and then nimbly flipped back on to her feet. Kaitlin rolled her eyes. There were only so many times a person can do a new move before it became frustrating. "Ow common Kaitlin I could talk to Mr Grumpy for you... Hint hint." Kayla winked slyly at Kaitlin, making sure she was out of reach.

Kaitlin had to use all her will power to stop herself from killing the laughing idiot. She sighed, running a hand through her long hair. "For the last time I do _not_ like Leon." She said slowly, emphasising the not, hoping the message would get through. "If I did, I'm not telling you blabber mouth." Kaitlin smirked, continuing to walk on and knowing what the effect her comment would have. She slowly counted backwards from five in her head.

_5... 4... 3... 2... 1-_

"I AM NOT A BLABBER MOUTH!" Kayla roared, her face going a slight tinge of red. She raced up to Kaitlin, standing in front of her so that she would have to face her. Kaitlin finally gave Kayla her attention after a few minutes of contemplating on what to have for dinner. "What?" Kaitlin asked, crossing her arms. She enjoyed the annoyance that flashed in the eyes of the teen. "I can keep secrets." She stated, her hands on her hips and her foot tapping on the dirt path.

"No you can't."

Kaitlin held back a laugh as Kayla's mouth gapped open and her eye brows almost knitted together. "Yer, I can!" She replied stubbornly, still barring Kaitlin's way to the Garden. Kaitlin pushed her arms straight out, which were the same height as Kayla's face. "Oomph!!" Kayla stumbled backwards as Kaitlin started to walk towards their destination again.

"I could keep a secret you know." Kayla said, trying to be serious. "I've kept secrets from everyone, including Leonnnnnn." She dragged out the last syllable, hoping to entice Kaitlin. Kaitlin was having none of it. She responded with a flick of her head. "Oh that's great Mrs Grumpy. You should get married to Leon, you match each other in grumpiness" She grumbled, jamming her hands in her pockets.

"Sooooooo..." Kayla started after ten minutes of silence. Kaitlin raised an eyebrow, weary of where it was leading to. "What?" Kayla closed her eyes, trying to find the best choice of words. "Can you please tell me if you have the hots for Leon, please!?" She dropped to her knees, her hands clasped in prayer. "After all that preparation, that was the best you could come up with? You should have an award for that." "I'll include you in my winning speech." Kayla growled, standing up. She cursed as she whipped off the dirt off her favourite cargos.

Kaitlin took a swig of water out of her bottle, slightly amused by Kayla's antics. _I myself don't even know my true feelings for Squall, so why would I tell her? I've never really thought about Squall in that sort of sense anyway..._ Kaitlin frowned, before giving up with a shrug of her shoulders. _Romance __is fickle... People who love like that are begging to get hurt... I don'__t have time__ for it..._ Kaitlin mused, not paying as much attention to her surroundings as she should've done.

"BOO!!!"

"Not funny." Kaitlin snapped, pushing off a giggling Kayla. She rolled onto the ground, almost crying with laughter. "Common, you weren't expecting me to do that, eh?" She wiped her face, smudging it with dirt. "You have to admit, jumping out of a tree and crashing into something is pretty funny." Kaitlin's erupt silence caused her smile to fade. She sheepishly scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Ok maybe it wasn't that great... At least I'm getting better at my aerobics! Yuffie's going to show me more when we get back. So how far away are we...? I'm seriously hungry..." Kayla babbled, running towards Radiant Garden.

Kaitlin groan. _Here we go again..._

x-x-x-x-x

Kayla poked her head around the door frame, admiring Merlin's new place. It was defiantly better than his other cottages. This one had more than one room and a window, unlike its processor. "Wow his bed's not in the lounge anymore!" Kayla noted, stepping in side. Kaitlin cautiously followed her in, unnerved by how there was no one there besides them. "Hellllo??? We're back!" Kayla cried, expecting everyone to come running to greet them. "Cid? Yuffie? Leon? _Aerith_?" No one answered.

"What the hell man." Kayla huffed, sitting in an armchair, clearly annoyed. She jumped out of it again like something had sapped her. Kaitlin looked at her, worried. Kayla's face had gone deadly pale. "What is it?" She whispered her heart racing. With a quivering finger, Kayla pointed to a large blood smear that ran down the wall. A loud thud and a muffled scream came from the floor above, alerting the two. Kaitlin ran for the stairs with Kayla right behind her, their weapons at their side.

"Which way?" Kayla motioned with her hand. Another feminine scream came from the door of the hall way. They ran for the door, Kayla reaching it first. She yelled slavishly, kicking down the door.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" She roared at three cloaked figures that stood over two stilled lumps. One of them motioned with the jerk of their head to a portal that appeared from the shadows. Kaitlin swung her axe expertly, preparing to attack._ I wish she hadn't kicked down the door like that.._.

"Let go of them."

They ignored her, one of them effortlessly slinging an unconscious Aerith and Yuffie over their shoulders. Kaitlin held an arm out to stop Kayla from attacking them_. Not yet_ her eyes warned her. Kayla rolled her eyes and stepped back, her hands itching to throw one of her hidden daggers.

Kaitlin tried again. "Let go of them now." Kaitlin's said in a low, even tone. One of them threw a small white shape of them before being immersed in the portal. Kayla yelled abuse at the Portal while Kaitlin caught the white object between two fingers.

"Got any idea what an Ace of Clubs has to do with this?"


End file.
